Protein kinases (PKs) are enzymes that catalyze the phosphorylation of hydroxy groups on tyrosine, serine and threonine residues of proteins. The consequences of this seemingly simple activity are staggering; cell growth, differentiation and proliferation; i.e., virtually all aspects of cell life, in one way or another depend on PK activity. Furthermore, abnormal PK activity has been related to a host of disorders, ranging from relatively non life-threatening diseases such as psoriasis to extremely virulent diseases such as glioblastoma (brain cancer). PKs can be broken into two classes, the protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) and the serine-threonine kinases (STKs).
Certain growth factor receptors exhibiting PK activity are known as receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). They comprise a large family of transmembrane receptors with diverse biological activity. As present, at least nineteen (19) distinct subfamilies of RTKs have been identified. One RTK subfamily contains the insulin receptor (IR), insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGF-1R) and insulin receptor related receptor (IRR). IR and IGF-1R interact with insulin, IGF-I and IGF-II to activate a hetero-tetramer composed of two entirely extracellular glycosylated α subunits and two β subunits which cross the cell membrane and which contain the tyrosine kinase domain. The Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 Receptor (IGF-1R), and its ligands, IGF-1 and IGF-2, are abnormally expressed in numerous tumors, including, but not limited to, breast, prostate, thyroid, lung, hepatoma, colon, brain, neuroendocrine, and others.
A more complete listing of the known RTK subfamilies is described in Plowman et al., KN&P, 1994, 7(6):334-339 which is incorporated by reference, including any drawings, as if fully set forth herein.
In addition to the RTKs, there also exists a family of entirely intracellular PTKs called “non-receptor tyrosine kinases” or “cellular tyrosine kinases.” This latter designation, abbreviated “CTK”, will be used herein. CTKs do not contain extracellular and transmembrane domains. At present, over 24 CTKs in 11 subfamilies (Src, Frk, Btk, Csk, Abl, Zap70, Fes, Fps, Fak, Jak and Ack) have been identified. The Src subfamily appears so far to be the largest group of CTKs and includes Src, Yes, Fyn, Lyn, Lck, Blk, Hck, Fgr and Yrk. For a more detailed discussion of CTKs, see Bolen, Oncogene, 1993, 8:2025-2031, which is incorporated by reference, including any drawings, as if fully set forth herein.
RTKs, CTKs and STKs have all been implicated in a host of pathogenic conditions including significantly, cancer. Other pathogenic conditions, which have been associated with PTKs include, without limitation, psoriasis, hepatic cirrhosis, diabetes, atherosclerosis, angiogenesis, restenosis, ocular diseases, rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory disorders, autoimmune diseases and a variety of renal disorders.